Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier: Woman Pleads Guilty To Setting Her Newborn Baby On Fire

Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier, the 23-year-old New Jersey woman who was indicted last year for setting her newborn baby on fire and leaving the girl child burning in the middle of the street, has pleaded guilty for her crime. On Monday, the erstwhile Mount Holly resident pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter — a few months after she had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, SFGate reports.

The horrific crime committed by Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier dates back to January, 2015, when she allegedly doused her newborn baby with an accelerant and subsequently set the baby on fire. She then left the child on the road. The entire incident was seen by a few eyewitnesses, who made frantic 911 calls asking for help. Neighbors initially thought Hyphernkemberly was merely burning trash, with one person reportedly being told by Dorvilier herself that she was “burning dog feces.” It was only after people took a second glance that they realized that it was a newborn baby on fire. After seeing the baby of fire, people made frantic 911 calls, after which a dispatcher sent an emergency response team to the spot.

In the 911 calls, a woman is heard telling Dorvilier she was “disgusting,” to which she is heard saying the following.

“It’s not mine, it’s not mine… I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it.”

Another call was also made to 911 in which the person frantically told them that “there’s a baby on fire.” At the same time, another man could be heard asking Dorvilier to get down.

Emergency services took nearly seven minutes to reach the location. The newborn baby had by then received nearly 60 percent burns and was quickly flown to a Philadelphia hospital, where attempts were made to save her life. The baby, however, died two hours later. Authorities also took Dorvilier in their custody.

Even as she was being arrested by officials, Hyphernkemberly repeatedly claimed that the baby was not hers. A few months after the incident, Dorvilier was charged with murder and jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail. She also went through a mental health evaluation. It was on February 16 that prosecutors received a psychological report on Hyphernkemberly done by a private psychologist.

It was later revealed that Hyphernkemberly had just given birth to the child, with some reports saying that the umbilical cord was still attached to the newborn when officials attempted to rescue her. Subsequently, it was also revealed that Hyphernkemberly reportedly hid the pregnancy from her family. A week after the incident, a memorial service was held the baby, followed by a vigil in which Dorvilier’s mother and two sisters participated. The family members of Hyphernkemberly continue to say that they were not aware of her pregnancy. The baby girl was named Angelica Dorvilier by her family.

According to a report by Philly.com, Hyphernkemberly Dorvilier could face up to 30 years in prison if she is convicted. The report also states that the original murder charge against her was amended to aggravated manslaughter. This was done as part of a plea deal offered by prosecutors.

Several people in the courtroom were in tears as Judge Terrence Cook read the terms of the deal. Dorvilier’s mother, Juana Sully was also in the courtroom and was in tears. Hyphernkemberly appeared calm and answered basic questions asked by the judge with “Yes, your honor,” or “No, your honor.”

When asked by public defendant Karen Thek whether she realized “there was a probability that death would result from those actions,” Dorvilier replied by saying, “Yes.” She was also seen embracing Thek at the end of the court session. Dorvilier was in an orange jail jumpsuit and was in shackles.

Dorvilier’s sentencing is scheduled for April 22.

[Photo by AP Photo/Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office]